Hatteras-Ocracoke ferry route to resume

The North Carolina Department of Transportation's Ferry Division will resume operations of its Hatteras-Ocracoke ferry route on Friday, Feb. 22. It will be using a temporary alternate route, which will operate until the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers completes the channel dredging to re-open the primary route.

The new route surveyed by the Corps of Engineers is approximately 10.5 miles long and takes about 60 to 70 minutes to cross each way.

The U.S. Coast Guard has completed the marking of the alternate route with navigational aids. The Ferry Division made day and night dry runs without passengers or vehicles to make sure the channel route is safe, the navigational aids were operating properly and the ferry masters were comfortable with the route.

On Friday, there will be two boats operating on the Hatters-Ocracoke route. A third ferry will be added starting on Saturday, Feb. 23.

**Friday's schedule**

Hatteras Departure TimesOcracoke Departure Times

5 a.m. 4:30 a.m.

6 a.m. 6:30 a.m.

8 a.m. 7:30 a.m.

9 a.m. 9:30 a.m.

11 a.m. 10:30 a.m.

12 p.m. 12:30 p.m.

2 p.m. 1:30 p.m.

3 p.m. 3:30 p.m.

5 p.m. 4:30 p.m.

6 p.m. 6:30 p.m.

8 p.m. 7:30 p.m.

9 p.m. 9:30 p.m.

11 p.m. 11:30 p.m.

12 a.m. 12:30 a.m.

**Saturday's schedule** (continuing until the primary route re-opens will be)

Hatteras Departure Times Ocracoke Departure Times

5 a.m. 4:30 a.m.

6 a.m. 6:30 a.m.

7 a.m. 7:30 a.m.

8 a.m. 8:30 a.m.

9 a.m. 9:30 a.m.

10 a.m. 10:30 a.m.

11 a.m. 11:30 a.m.

12 p.m. 12:30 p.m.

1 p.m. 1:30 p.m.

2 p.m. 2:30 p.m.

3 p.m. 3:30 p.m.

4 p.m. 4:30 p.m.

5 p.m. 5:30 p.m.

6 p.m. 6:30 p.m.

8 p.m. 7:30 p.m.

9 p.m. 9:30 p.m.

11 p.m 11:30 p.m.

12 a.m. 12:30 a.m.

The opening of the alternate Hatteras-Ocracoke route means the extra departures added to the Swan Quarter-Ocracoke route to accommodate vendors and residents have stopped. That ferry route has returned to its regular schedule. The tolling of that route, which had been suspended when the added routes began, will resume on Friday, Feb. 22.